


the whole world (in his hands)

by AmyDancepantsPeralta



Category: Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV)
Genre: Contains spoilers if you haven't watch S7 finale, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:55:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23815729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmyDancepantsPeralta/pseuds/AmyDancepantsPeralta
Summary: A moment of reflection for Jake (contains spoilers for S7 seasons finale).
Relationships: Jake Peralta/Amy Santiago
Comments: 16
Kudos: 97





	the whole world (in his hands)

**Author's Note:**

> Okay this was just a quick little ficlet that I had to write after watching the ep ... I hope you enjoy!

**the whole world (in his hands)**

For what feels like the first time since those blissful three seconds after the city went into blackout, Jake Peralta’s world is quiet.

And by world, he of course means this hospital room; because right now, it holds both his wife _and_ his son as occupants, and they are - in _no_ uncertain terms - his world.

If someone had told him nine months ago that he and Amy’s birth story would involve a blackout; gunshots, a robbery, fart candles, drunk bachelorettes, a faux Aqua Man and (perhaps the worst of it all), a _fireman -_ he would have absolutely laughed in their faces.They had a birth plan - one that Jake suspects had been constructed even before conception - and it was so carefully laid out, and so very thorough, that it really left no room for correction. 

But here they were, after easily one of the craziest days either of them has ever had, floating on something far higher than Cloud Nine because finally - _finally_ \- their son was here. 

To his left, Amy sleeps; finally taking a chance to rest after defying all odds and giving birth under the worst of circumstances. She has never failed to amaze him, and today just took it to the next level.Over to his right, in a special little crib wheeled in by a nurse not long after everybody left, lay their son - _oh god, he has a SON_ \- and realistically Jake knows that he should probably be trying to take a nap now while he can, but there’s just no way that he will be able to close his eyes any time soon.

The tiny remnants of fear and doubt that had been slowly dripping away at the back of his mind had formed into a tidal wave by the time he was making his way to the precinct this evening, the overwhelming reality of the sheer _insanity_ of it all coming to light.He was thundering down the streets of Brooklyn, on a horse - a horse that is, by all technicality, his _superior_ \- in order to get to the precinct in time to be there for his wife while she gives birth to their son in the interrogation room.(He’s basically an equestrian now, it’s no big deal.)Not exactly an ideal situation - in fact, it was almost the opposite.And just enough for all the anxiety and hesitation to come screaming to the forefront all over again. 

Perhaps, his father was right.Peralta men _were_ cursed, and he was going to the miss the birth of his son, because they’re just not destined to be good fathers - right from the beginning. 

It washes away as he runs into the precinct, and locks eyes with Amy, because she calms him purely with her presence more than anybody he’s ever known.And then their baby is being born, and Rosa is trying _so hard_ not to hide her disgust at the Baby Goo, and the world is just perfect - it’s perfecter than perfect, because their son is here and nothing else will ever matter, ever again.

There’s the tiniest of snuffles coming from Jake’s right, and in an instant he’s out of the chair he’s been resting in - drawn like a magnet to the tiny human burrito that now bears his surname.It’s a quick sniffle (the sound of a baby still trying to figure out just _what exactly happened_ in the past few hours), but as two wide eyes begin to blink themselves awake Jake cannot resist the chance to hold his son in his arms again.

His steps back to the chair as so slow, so careful and deliberate, he’s reminded of a time not so long ago when he held a ticking bomb in his hands in a very similar setting.What he holds now is infinitely more precious, for it is an extension of both his heart and Amy’s, and there is still a part of him that _cannot believe_ that this is really real.

Jake tents his legs as he sits, resting the bottom of his sneakers against the edge of the chair.Moving slow and methodical, he slides his left hand towards the edge of the cloth and grips tighter with his right, and it takes a little adjustment but after a minute his son is resting against his legs, safely anchored by his father’s forearms. 

Mac snuffles again, a sound so delicate and soft, the cupids bow at the top of his lip scrunching slightly as he adjusts to the change in surrounding light.Jake runs his thumb gently along the edge of his cheek, still amazed at the impossibly softness of his skin.There’s just no way that anyone could have prepared him for this kind of feeling. 

His son blinks up at him, and as a soft smile crosses over his face Jake has a flashback to being in fourth grade, sitting cross legged on the floor of Mrs Fletcher’s classroom and joining in with the class as they sang -

_He’s got the whole world in his hands._

Mac Peralta.The hottest (and yes okay, the _cutest_ ) baby that the world has ever seen. 

_He’s got the whole wide world in his hands._

Part of him wants to go back and visit that Jake - the younger version of him that still doesn’t quite understand _why_ his Dad doesn’t seem to live at home anymore, but has total faith that it’s not going to change a thing - and tell him just how great life is going to be. 

That life might suck for a little while, but it has nothing to do with him, and that if he just remembers to be in front of the elevator on a certain day of a certain year, he is going to shake hands with a woman who will turn out to be the love of his life - and things are only going to get better from there. 

But going back means leaving his son behind, and there’s not a chance in hell that’s ever going to happen. 

Mac gurgles a little, a mumbling, bubbly sound that in a few days time Jake will come to learn means that he’s ready for a feed, and he tightens his hold around his son in response. 

Amy was right (shocking, he knows).They’ve got an excellent story to tell their son one day, and they will juggle any obstacle that comes their way.She is the ultimate warrior, and Jake is a father now, and he would do it all again in a heartbeat, if that’s what it takes to bring him to this very moment.Screw all the uncertainties, and anybody who suggests that they can’t do this.He’d walk through fire for his family.Curses don’t stand a chance. 

(Although quietly, his butt actually _really_ hurts.Horse riding is _way_ more intense than people make it out to be.)

There’s another gurgle from Mac, this one a little louder, and from her bed Amy stirs.She’s exhausted, Jake can tell, but as she blinks awake and takes in the sight of he and Mac cuddling together on the chair, she begins to grin.

“My two favourite men,” she mumbles, her half-asleep arms stretching out towards him, and Jake takes extra care in holding onto his son as he manoeuvres himself out of the chair and towards his wife.She sighs in contentment as Mac is placed into her arms, and after settling himself onto the bed beside Amy, Jake leans down to press a gentle kiss to the side of her head. 

“This is single-handedly the _greatest. thing._ we have ever done.”

Jake’s voice is soft, his adoration obvious as he leans in for another kiss, smiling at Amy when she turns to meet her lips with his.“Thank you for giving me the family I’ve always wanted, Ames.”He rests his forehead against hers for a pause, taking a heavy swallow as his emotions begin to get the better of him.“This is everything that I could have ever wished for.I love you so much.”

“I love you too, Jake.This is the stuff dreams are made of, and I’m so glad I get to do this with you.”

Outside of the hospital room; life goes on - sirens continue to blare at regular intervals, and the rest of the world goes about their day as though everything has remained unchanged.But for the three of them cuddled together on the bed, nothing will ever be the same. 

There are flowers to smell and cards to write, phone calls to make and visitors to greet.Baby Mac is about to be the most popular child in this hospital, and there is a part of both Jake and Amy that cannot wait to show him off to everybody they know.But for now, Amy rests her head against Jake’s shoulder, and Mac falls back to sleep against her chest, and everything they need is right here in front of them. 

They’ve waited so long for this moment, and the rest of the world can wait.

**Author's Note:**

> Raise your hands if you're still vibrating with happiness from that ep?! 🙋🏻♀️
> 
> If so, I really hope you enjoyed this little one-shot! ♥️
> 
> (comments/kudos are eternally appreciated! can't express how much!)


End file.
